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The '''American Dream''' is the easy availability of upward mobility for Americans. It means an open society with considerable movement up and down in an indivivual lifetime, and across the [[generation]]s, as opposed to tightly structured society in which the status of ancestors determines one's life chances.  For those who like to worry, the idea that the American dream is fading away for the middle class has been a common trope for over 75 years, including today, and has never been true.<ref> David Brooks (a conservative) and Gail Collins (a liberal), debate "Is the American Dream Over?," [http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/09/is-the-american-dream-over/?ref=opinion ''New York Times'' Dec. 9, 2009]</ref>

The '''American Dream''' is the easy availability of upward mobility for Americans. It means an open society with considerable movement up and down in an individual lifetime, and across the [[generation]]s. This contrasts with a tightly structured society in which the status of ancestors determines one's life chances, or in which government planners make all major social choices (see [[Socialism]]).  For those who like to worry, the idea that the American dream is fading away for the middle class has been a common trope for over 75 years, including today, and has never been true.<ref> David Brooks (a conservative) and Gail Collins (a liberal), debate "Is the American Dream Over?," [http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/09/is-the-american-dream-over/?ref=opinion ''New York Times'' Dec. 9, 2009]</ref>

==Origins of phrase==

==Origins of phrase==

[[James Truslow Adams]] (1878-1949), a conservative historian, was the first to name "the American Dream" and interpret it as the full realization of human potential:

[[James Truslow Adams]] (1878-1949), a conservative historian, was the first to name "the American Dream" and interpret it as the full realization of human potential: